My Review of the Canon A2

     So today, while my face nears bursting with my current sinus infection, I sit here on my desk staring at my (relatively speaking) old Canon A2, an old EOS camera with modern features that works almost like my new toy, a 5D Mark II [goodbye 7D]. Curiously, it just happens to be its digital successor, but only if you're from Europe, as they got the EOS 5.

     The EOS A2 was introduced to the market at almost the same time that the world experienced the hodgepodge that was Nirvana's Incesticide album, November and December of 1992, respectively. Like Incesticide, it had some junk, erm, features, that Canon didn't want to introduce into the EOS 1, such as eye controlled focusing (which only came on the A2e), a built-in flash that was capable of zooming with your lens, and an infrared AF assist light.

     Also like Incesticide, many of these features were great, and only a couple of them absolutely sucked.

     Starting with the good, the camera fits in my large hand nicely and feels well made. The viewfinder is nice and bright and is uncluttered by useless info. It shoots at a maximum burst of 5 fps, making this camera great for sports, and includes an AF assist light that helps with focusing at night. The built in flash is also nice to have if you just need something that will light your subjects. Film is quick to load, and quick to wind up. Plus, if you go anywhere in public, you are immediately known to be a serious photographer, as the camera's imposing presence around your neck strikes fear into snapshooters souls.

   Now, the bad. Like Incesticide, (and grunge in general) this camera doesn't know what the hell is going on with itself. Like a 15 year old that just experienced puberty, it has all these new feelings that it doesn't know how to process yet. As such, the AF is completely useless without the AF assist light. It can't focus on a black and white striped shirt in bright daylight to save its life. I constantly find myself switching into manual focusing mode to focus correctly. Another annoying problem is that this camera flies through it's expensive batteries. I can only get about 15 rolls per battery before the camera needs a new one (and I don't use the flash). The built in flash's zoom is useless; the lighting is crap regardless of whether or not its zoomed correctly, making it another draw on the already pathetic battery life. Another problem is that due to some weird legal issues, the A2 (the EOS 5 is exempt) doesn't have a typical meter in full manual mode. Instead of a scale showing you how over or underexposed you are, you get a plus or minus symbol and nothing else. The last and most annoying yet insignificant complaint is that the mode select dial is really stiff, and on top of that it locks, much like the new Canons [please Canon, please get rid of these stupid locks. No one wanted them].

     To conclude this review, in my opinion, you should avoid the A2. It does not work well, and the EOS 3 is a much better camera. If you must have it, likely due to the cost of the EOS 3, be prepared to deal with its shortcomings. In the end though, I have taken some nice images with it because a good image is only 5% camera and 95% photographer.